New ad campaign challenges stereotypes of Indigenous Australians
Prof. Mick Dodson believes a new advertising campaign will challenge Australians to rethink negative stereotypes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Developed as a community service announcement, the Reconciliation Australia campaign is informed by the Australian Reconciliation Barometer—groundbreaking research that explores our attitudes to each other as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Findings of the research include:
- There are equally low levels of trust between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
- There is low recognition of Indigenous achievement outside of high profile successes in sport and the arts
- Australians overall rate themselves ahead of Indigenous people in possessing positive qualities like a sense of humour, and being welcoming and hard working.
“The Barometer tells us that entrenched negative stereotypes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still exist,” said Reconciliation Australia’s Co-Chair Prof. Mick Dodson. “These stereotypes influence our behaviour towards one another and stop us from getting on with the job of building better relationships and closing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.”
Each ad opens with two faces—one appearing to be Indigenous, the other appearing to be non-Indigenous—with a headline that challenges the viewer to judge the faces based only on what they see e.g.:“Which one of these men is unemployed?” The endline is: “We’re hoping you couldn’t answer that.”
The advertising uses real people with headlines that confront stereotypes around substance abuse, unemployment, child care, professional achievement, who is Aboriginal and crime. The ads direct the viewer to the website www.reconciliation.org.au which has the stories of each of people featured and links to factual information about Indigenous people, culture and issues.
“These ads confront negative misinformed views about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by challenging the audience’s view and why they hold it,” said Prof. Dodson. “The campaign could make some people uncomfortable but the first step to changing attitudes is recognising these perceptions exist, and then busting the myths they represent.
“It will certainly get people talking and thinking, and hopefully learning something about the diversity of Indigenous culture and achievement.”
Reconciliation Australia thanks the team at Saatchi&Saatchi for their pro-bono work on the campaign and media organisations including print, TV and outdoor media for supporting the advertising.
The campaign and the Barometer can be viewed at: www.reconciliation.org.au
*** Three supersite billboards are installed on the M4 Motorway Homebush NSW; 1537 Ipswich Rd Rocklea QLD; and Cnr Barkley St & Inkerman St, St Kilda VIC, as well as other street posters sites around each city.***
Media contact: Karen Mundine on 0401 119998
